Revelation 17:5

17:5 On ¹  her forehead was written a name, a mystery: ²  “Babylon the Great, the Mother of prostitutes and of the detestable things of the earth.”

Revelation 17:7

17:7 But ³  the angel said to me, “Why are you astounded? I will interpret ⁴  for you the mystery of the woman and of the beast with the seven heads and ten horns that carries her.

[17:5]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[17:5]  ² tn Some translations consider the word μυστήριον (musthrion, “mystery”) a part of the name written (“Mystery Babylon the Great,” so KJV, NIV), but the gender of both ὄνομα (onoma, “name”) and μυστήριον are neuter, while the gender of “Babylon” is feminine. This strongly suggests that μυστήριον should be understood as an appositive to ὄνομα (“a name, i.e., a mystery”).

[17:7]  ³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[17:7]  ⁴ tn Grk “I will tell you,” but since what follows is the angel’s interpretation of the vision, “interpret for you” is the preferred translation here.